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Safety and Security Equipment (SEC)OverviewReturn to top2008* 2009* 2010*Total Market Size 26,380 26,910 27,450Total Local Production 16,880 16,950 17,290Total Exports 5,010 5,110 5,490Total Imports 14,510 15,070 15,650Imports from the U.S. 4,060 4,070 4,070Exchange rate: USD 1.00 Euro 0.7 Euro 0.7 Euro 0.7*(Figures in USD millions; * indicates unofficial estimates based on various industry sources including Atlasen Toute Sécurité). Year to year figures adjusted for varying exchange rate.The safety and sector represents 23 different security segments in France, which can beloosely grouped into the following areas: anti-terrorism, electronic security, monitoring,guarding, physical security, health and safety products, fire security and cash in transit.The total market was valued at approximately 18.9 billion Euros in 2008 (the latestpublished figures available) with a total growth valued at +4.7% over the previous year.Within the 23 French safety and security industry segments, the segments enjoying thehighest growth rate are anti-terrorist equipment (+16.7% in 2008), personal protectionservices (+13.2%), consulting and engineering (+14.9%), and IT security (+10.9%). Arecent French study shows that between 2003 and 2008, the video surveillance sectorhas known consistent growth, totaling 42% over the 5 years. Segments such as locks,retail theft protection, remote industrial and residential monitoring services, personalprotection equipment, anti-intrusion alarms and guard services remained flat or showeda decrease in 2008. In fact, only about 70% of companies operating in the securitysector in France in 2008 turned a profit. In many segments such as fire protection andguard services, there are simply too many players on the market; fierce competitioncoupled with low prices continues to drive a high number of firms out of business. Thesebusinesses continued to be hit hard in the poor economic climate of 2009, which isexpected to last through 2010, as companies deferred investments in new securityequipment whenever possible. Industry experts expect the security sector to remainrelatively stable overall; some subsectors are very hard hit, while others such ashomeland security have been successful in growing their markets.For the first time, penetration of the security market by foreign companies decreased in2009, although overall the level remains high. Entire sub-sectors of French privatesecurity industry in France are dominated by foreign groups, as opposed to less than 20percent overall ten years ago. For example, in the cash-in-transit sector, non-Frenchgroups control 89 percent of market share in 2008. High ratios exist inequipment/services for professional monitoring and many other market sub-sectors.Overall, foreign firms control more than 36 percent of the industry.2/18/2010 Country Commercial Guide for France 44INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICEAND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, © 2010. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.